Monthly Archives: January 2016

Hello, my loves. I’m back with another review and this time, it’s going to be about this product that I didn’t expect to fall in love with.

I’ve tried a lot of serums and creams that’s supposed to slow down the ageing process and I have to say that this is one of the products that I really loved. I’m going to share with you a video review on it but if you’d rather read about it for more details, you will find all the information after the jump!

When I was first approached by Beaunistry to review Osyean, I thought it was gonna be just like every product out there. The beauty industry does have companies that tend to oversell and under deliver. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the results I got from it. Of course, no product is perfect. So you will have to read on till the end for my balanced review on this product. 🙂

But before we start, a little background on my skin. I’m aware that not all products work similarly for every person who tries it. There are many factors to this but I think the biggest one would have to be one’s skin type. Since it worked well for me, I guess I should tell you about my skin first.

I personally have dry skin that tends to be dull unless I am religious with the scrubbing and brightening products. I am also prone to sun damage. I think this product works really well with people who have a similar skin type to mine. (If you have oily/sensitive skin, do let me know how this product works for you! I’m very much interested!)

We reserved the first half of our last day in France for a short trip to Château de Versailles. Seems fitting doesn’t it? Also, considering the itinerary my husband drew up for our Paris trip, it seemed better to venture out of the city on our last day.

I’ve always been fascinated by this place – even before the public’s whole Marie Antoinette obsession that followed the release of Sofia Coppola’s movie. Side note: Didn’t like the movie. It lacked character development. Great shots and soundtrack though. Also, Kirsten Dunst was perfect for the role.

There’s just something so intriguing about this palace. From its grandeur, the lavish lifestyle of its former inhabitants, and for it being the setting of their downfall as well. It actually makes you want to wish that the walls can talk.

To this day, the château remains to be a symbol of France’s absolute monarchy or what they call the ‘old regime’.

Getting there:

The easiest way is by taking the RER train (not the Metro) to the Versailles Rive Gauche station. From there, the palace is only a short walk. There will be maps all over the station.

Tickets:

It’s best to book your tickets online as lines outside the palace are horrendous. Especially if you’re visiting in the summer. We were lucky that it was starting to get cold during our visit so we didn’t end up sweating and burning under the sun while we waited to get inside, tickets in hand. We stood in line for about 15 minutes which isn’t so bad though. But of course, on warmer days, the wait will definitely be longer. A ticket that will take you through the palace and the gardens is at 15 Euros. This price also includes the audio guide. If you want to enter the Trianon estates, there will be extra fees.

The château

Located about 20 kilometres from Paris, Versailles used to be a sleepy village but nowadays, its a bit of a posh suburb. Louis XIII had a hunting lodge built in this area but it was later on expanded and renovated by the Kings that followed him: Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI.

The château has indeed come a long way from its stone and brick hunting lodge days. It’s the epitome of grandeur – with art and gold leafing in almost every corner, painted ceilings, intricate sculptures, and lavish furniture. It can be overwhelming.

I decided to make this (affordable) haul video even though I’m still light years away from actually doing the Japan travel entries for the blog (thanks, backlog!) due to one reason:

The snacks we brought home are in grave danger. From my husband and I, actually. We’ve been eating like crazy! I even failed to mention the different variants of awesome bread and the Star Wars chocolate wafers we brought home. So before we consume everything, might as well just show you guys already. 😀

Do watch all the way till the end as I will be giving shopping tips – where to go for great but affordable finds!

Watch out for my new Sailor Moon collectibles! Yeah, yeah. Once a geek, always a geek. 😉

**Apologies if my makeup in the video is all sweaty and not so fresh. (My powder is creasing on my eyelid creases and my liquid lipstick is actually fading from my mouth’s inner corners! Hihi!) I filmed this after being out and about for hours under the sun and had no time to retouch! I figured you guys will still love me since this is more real anyways. Nobody’s perfect! 😉

Sharing with you guys the 3-minute makeup challenge my good friend Samia and I did recently.

Samia is an amazing makeup artist and is one of my closest friends here in Malaysia. I had an amazing time filming with her! Do check out her blog, Instagram, and Youtube channel! 😉

Now, here comes the video! Excuse my cursing – I did admit to you guys that I’m not as diplomatic as I should be on my free time 😉 – and my humungous hormonal zit brought about by a recent tiny change in my lifestyle (which I may be sharing with you guys soon!).

Enjoy!

Here’s the link to the Bean Boozled Challenge we uploaded on Samia’s channel: CLICK!

Right before 2015 ended, I updated my hair colour and I’ve been getting a lot of compliments for it. Along with the compliments came the questions and inquiries so what better way to address all of that than via a short blog post? 😉

I should have posted this earlier since I did the treatment before the new year. However, time and commitments got the best of me yet again. *excuses*

As most of you might know by now, I decided to take the plunge last May and get my full head of hair coloured. Prior to that, I only experimented with my fringe back in my university days where I went from blue to pink to purple.

The change last May was pretty drastic since I went from dark brown to bronde. It was a big change yet I loved it! Here’s a little throwback:

I had a great run with my bronde hair and the honey-toned highlights that accentuated my curls like no other.

However, we all know that at some point, you have to update your colour as regrowth can get the best of you. Andy Ho did a great job on my first colour and it took months before my regrowth became noticeable. I loved how my hair was so low maintenance especially during our Europe trip last August. It looked great without having to put too much effort.

For our trip to Japan for New Year’s, I wanted something a little bit more cool-toned to go with current temperatures in Tokyo and Nikko so when EVO invited my friend Samia and I for a hair colouring session, I just couldn’t resist.

Before I get into detail about the colour and the procedure, let me just show you the ‘before’ photo of my hair:

Makeup brands have been collaborating with some of my most favourite artists which makes me a very happy girl. I’ve been listening to Ellie Goulding long before she became way too popular. Admittedly, I’m partial to her earlier songs and albums but I guess it’s nice to see her grow as an artist.

When MAC announced that they’re having a collaboration with her, I knew I had to get something from it just cos it’s Ellie (I would do the same if Robyn was the one MAC’s doing a collab with. Which reminds me – when is MAC ever collaborating with my dear Robyn?!).

While photos of the collection got me all excited, my spirits were a bit dampened when a friend and some beauty bloggers online mentioned that the colours were too light. And some were quite disappointed due to the colours being way too ordinary.

Finally, I got back from our Japan trip on the 3rd (the collection launched in KL on 1 January and the 7th for Japan!) and I was able to actually check the collection out for myself. I got two items from it which I think were well worth it. Read on for the review of the I’ll Hold My Breath Blush Duo and the Only You Lipstick from this collection! 😉

One of the things I love about Paris is the abundance of interesting stores and cafés that can be found in its various streets and alleys. They’re like little surprises.

Caught window shopping by the husband. 😉

If you’re a fan of luxury bags, there are a LOT of stores selling pre-loved ones all over Paris. Lili Rose Luxury in Rue Dauphine actually offers pretty good deals. However, if you’re from Asia, I’d say the shops in Tokyo still offer better prices. 😉

Disclaimers and Disclosures

This blog is personal and will always remain to be.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are exclusively those of the author’s. They do not, in any way, represent thoughts, opinions, policies, and the direction of the Philippine government, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the media outlets I used to work for, and even that of my husband's.

Come to think of it, our opinions differ – a lot.

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Sponsored content will always be labeled. However, sponsorship of any kind will not affect my views on each product or service I review. If it's bad, I'll still say it is.